If you keep abreast of what’s happening in the world today, the news is dire. From natural disasters to civil unrest, we are living in dangerous times. Add to that what you see on your daily newscasts: burglaries, fires and floods happen all too often, and though the chances that you won’t have to personally deal with those situations is slim, there’s always the potential for bad things to occur.

Here are 5 reasons why you should store your important papers, cash, cards/passports/passwords, jewelry and other items in a strong, durable safe:

5) A safe is the safest place to put all your most important paperwork together in one place. Rather than have to look through several folders, cabinets and storage spaces in your home to find your birth certificate, savings bonds, and/or life insurance policy, putting all your vital records in one safe makes them easy and quick to find. Organized people– and those who want to be more organized– truly benefit from having a safe to place all their important paperwork together in one place.

4) Some safes are conveniently portable. You can move them as needed, away from flood waters or fires in the home if there’s time to do so. Think about it this way: if you woke up to smoke in your bedroom and had to get out of the house in 5 minutes, wouldn’t you like to know your most vital papers and items are all in a safe you can pick up and rush out of the house with? Yes!

3) Other safes are not easily moved, and this is a good thing if thieves break into your home looking to steal stuff– they can’t take what they can’t easily access. Did you know, by the way, that a burglary occurs approximately every 15 seconds in the United States and, on average, results in a dollar loss of about $1,600? Furthermore, only about 15 percent of stolen property gets recovered by police. Thus, it’s better to be “safe” than sorry, right?

2) Many safes are fireproof and can withstand extremely hot temperatures, saving your paperwork, computer discs, microfilm or any other form of media from burning up or melting into oblivion. Do you have important family photographs you don’t want to lose? Store them in a fireproof safe “just in case” there’s ever a fire at your home. Same goes for paperwork like estate-planning documents, stock certificates and other papers you want to protect from fires. Did you know that The National Fire Protection Association says that during an average lifetime, there’s a one in four chance of experiencing a household fire large enough to warrant calling the fire department? Keep important stuff in a fireproof safe.

1) Safes are generally water resistant or waterproof. Therefore, if a fire (or flood) occurred, and any paperwork not stored in a safe got ruined by water, having items in a safe that weren’t ruined by water could be a godsend during the aftermath when you need to show those papers to others to get your life back in order.

When you’re ready to buy a safe, don’t hesitate to call Value Safes at 1-877-629-6214 for help in choosing the one that best meets your needs.

For those who were caught unaware, Mother’s Day this year is May 10th.

If your mother is a prepper, then you may wish to reconsider what it is you’re getting her this year. Practical gifts are the best for those who are always trying to be prepared.

Below is a list of things you will want to get your prepper mom for Mother’s Day.

Mothers Planning on Bugging Out

For mothers who are bugging out and going to a different location, there are certain things they will want to have with them at all times.

Pantyhose: This is a versatile tool that mothers should have in their bug out bag. If pantyhose are worn under socks, it can help to minimize blistering and friction. Not only this, but they will help you stay warmer, keep ticks and chiggers away, and can even be used as a fishing net if need be.

Tactical Scarf: These scarves are very helpful for braving the elements. They can be wrapped around your head, neck and shoulders in various ways depending on the use. You can cover your mouth, protect your head from the son, or even use it as a shield against dust particles that are in the air.

Hand Cranked Phone Charger: It isn’t as likely that you will find outlets to plug a phone in, so you will need to resort to this helpful. These phone chargers are great for when you need to make an emergency phone call. One minute of hand cranking is roughly the same as four minutes of talk time. It’s pretty small too, so it fits in go bags easily.

72 Hour Infant Kit: Prepardness Mama went through the trouble of outlining what should be included in one of these kits. Many mothers are traveling with a baby so it’s important to think of the needs of both people. Here are some sample items of what can be included in this kit:

Formula (powdered only) with at least 48 scoops worth.

2-5 bottles and nipples.

Burp rags or small blankets.

Hand warmers.

Teething tablets or gel.

2 Pacifiers

Baby powder/diaper rash cream

Baby wrap/carrier

First Aid Kit: Health is always important to keep in the forefront of your mind when thinking about bugging out. This first aid kit from First Aid Product had a wide range of things you may need on the go and will make you feel prepared to take on whatever comes your way.

Mothers Planning on Homesteading

For many mothers it’s easier to homestead and keep their children in a safe place. You begin to think about how to make your location safest for your home without compromising your preparedness. It could be small things like coloring books and toys to keep them busy, or it could include survival training for your kids.

Below is a comprehensive list of gifts for prepper moms.

Get Her a Dog: Many dogs can be trained to be watchdogs. Whether it’s used simply to bark when someone comes near the home, or to ward off others from coming near, getting your mom a furry companion can not only give her extra attention, it could help save her.

Soap Making Supplies: When it comes to homesteading, making your own supplies is really going to come in handy. Soap is something that will be necessary for hygiene, but it will also be great to use for bartering or selling to a possible community.

Sewing Supplies: Just like soap and other hygienic products, knowing how to make your own clothes and linens is a must. This Mother’s Day, get her something she can really use in order to be self reliant.

Gardening Tools: Your mom may need some soil or new tools in order to help her grow her own food. Not only will this make it so she has her own supply of food, but you wouldn’t have to worry about ingesting pesticides and other negative elements that can be found in foods from the grocery store.

Food Storing: As Mom with a Prep shows us, there are many things you can do in order to store your own food. You can get her jars, a vacuum sealer or a dehydrator. There are plenty of tools to stock mom’s kitchen with in order to keep the food supply consistent all year round.

Safes: If you’re homesteading then it is safe to say you will have valuables there. You should invest in a safe to hide guns, ammo, and anything else you wouldn’t want others to get into.

Still Not Sure?

If your mom already has these things or seems to have everything, then it might be time to turn them toward further knowledge. It’s always good to learn something new, particularly if they’re on their own. Blogs like A Girl’s Prep Guide cover topics that women specifically need to face whether they are homesteading or bugging out.

This Mother’s Day, get her something that she will be able to use every day.

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Many people purchase a floor safe under the misguided notion that it will also protect the contents from a fire. The truth is that most safes that are built for security use materials that will cause the inside of a safe to reach soaring temperatures in the event of a house fire that reaches 1400 degrees Fahrenheit. You should be sure to specify when purchasing your safe, especially if you are seeking a safe that will protect valuable from both theft and fire. The safes are not created equally, and confusing one for the other could result in a devastating loss.

It is a proven fact that crime rates rise during tough economic times. If you have never before considered owning a home safe, then now is the time to start thinking about it. Safes are much more effective that a simple lockbox, because the doors and locking mechanisms are created to keep thieves from cracking them for up to thirty minutes. No home invader wants to hang around that long, no matter what he or she thinks might be inside. Other benefits of owning a safe include keeping important documents safe from fire, and keeping children away from dangerous weapons. There’s no question, really. Buy a safe.

If you are seeking a safe for your home or business, then you have probably done a lot of research to find the best safe for the least amount of money. Don’t be fooled by the cheap safes out there, for they are little more than a glorified strongbox. You should also keep in mind that just because two safes are of similar size and style, that doesn’t mean they are the same. Hollon safes typically include more bolts in their safes than manufacturers of similar sizes and ratings. The keypads on Hollon safes are also more theft resistant, even if they appear to be similar to other brands.

We all know that technology of the future is being developed every day and some of it is pretty far out there. I’m sure many people find themselves thinking “wow, I never thought that idea would take off.” It just so happens I am personally not a fan of Biometric safes.

Although this is supposed to be one of the most secure lock styles available, there are certainly flaws with the idea. Safes with biometric locks generally come with the capability of programming so many prints into the lock – making it accessible by a certain group of people. However, most people don’t think of that, and only program their own personal print. In this case, if that person is away on vacation and has documents in the safe that are needed right away, they can’t just give their code to a friend and have them open it. This is frustrating for the owner of the safe.

I came across a blog the other day writing about Biometric Safes. The author points out good points, that it is the safe of the future and many thieves don’t mess with them, however it doesn’t point out the headache it can cause the customer. Until these locks are more user friendly and bugs are worked out of them, I suggest sticking with an electronic lock, in my personal opinion.

While it is certainly comforting to know that your valuables and documents are protected by steel and concrete, there is sometimes a bit of doubt when it comes to the protection that a key or a number pad can offer. Thieves that have experience with cracking safes can usually get through these with little to no effort, so if you own one of these safes, then you’re usually banking on the possibility that they won’t want to take the time. You can, however, purchase a biometric safe, such as the HZ-30, which will open with just the use of your fingerprint.

I have never seen a safe so impressive until I saw these safes. The Mutual TRTLx30x6 is a torch and tool resistant safe on all six side for 30 minutes. This is not something you will find in any other safe except for these.

Those that are looking to protect items of high value and items that need to be protected from normal every day use are stored in these. I once had someone tell me they had to wear monitors for radioactive substances to open the safe because of what was stored in it. That should give you an idea just how secure these safes are.

I was doing some searching over the weekend about these safes and came across a pretty good blog. The “Is a TRTLx30x6 safe for you” article gives just some general knowledge most people want to know about the safe.

I don’t know how many times I have gone into Wal-Mart, Academy, Tractor Supply, Sam’s Club, Home Depot, Lowes, etc and looked at their safes, shook my head, and walked away. It is not always true that the more you spend the better quality an item is or just because it is cheap it is a really bad safe. However, the most important thing to do and consider when purchasing a safe is thinking about what you are going to be putting into the safe and what you are going to be using it for. Don’t make a trip on a whim to a store and purchase the first thing you see. Research, ask questions, research, and ask a few more questions.

I was doing some research the other day and searching different blogs and ran across one that really hit the nail on the head. Going cheap will really hurt you in the long run. The article Going Cheap Will Cost You on Safes talks about what I have just mentioned. It’s just another source to get information from. The information and opinions are out there, go find them and you will find something you are happy with!

Wall Safes are not the most secure safes around – this should be common sense. However, they get their security from being hidden, behind a picture, behind a false wall, etc. This information aside it is important to get a wall safe that fits your needs and that is a good quality safe. I have seen many wall safes be cheap and terrible quality but yet is 200.00 plus dollars. Why spend that much money on something that isn’t worth it?

I just recently came across this safe and was astounded and the price of this and the quality. The steel thickness is amazing and generally is not something that you would find in most wall safes. It has a key override in case the batteries die on the lock or the lock malfunctions (we can’t expect them to last forever, they are electronic items). On the inside of the door there are hooks to hang spare keys, jewelery, or anything you can think of hanging up that is small. This 52EN safe is an excellent buy! I would suggest it to anyone who is shopping around for a wall safe – you won’t be sorry.